Whilst many owners of EV vehicles in the Shellharbour area will have the opportunity to charge at home, some owners may not have easy access to home EV chargers including those living in strata or community housing. As a result a range of charging speeds will be required to meet both the needs of Shellharbour residents and visitors. These Guidelines aim to ensure that charger speeds are selected to consider the needs of the location they are installed at.

Transport for NSW (TfNSW) r5/41-5 electric vehicle signage has been approved for use on public streets and public places. Under the current legislation, Council does not have the delegated authority from TfNSW to produce its own signage in relation to EV charging. All EV charging stations on public roads will need to be approved under delegation via the Local Traffic Committee. 

Should an EV not be charging, or another car parked on the dedicated parking bay, including a non-plug-in hybrid EV, the driver could incur a fine (Disobey No Parking Sign).

Our Compliance and Regulation staff cannot rely on public submissions when issuing fines as there may be circumstances or exemptions that are not obvious to the public and require proper consideration before enforcement action is taken.

To ensure that EV charging infrastructure in Shellharbour meets the needs of all residents, all EV charging bays will be required to provide accessible car parking space that meets the accessibility requirements of AS2890.5/AS2890.6 and have functionality that is accessible to people with disabilities. As an accessible signposted space cannot impose time limits on its users, it will not be signposted as such. However, the layout and dimensions of the area will provide adequate accessibility the same as any disabled parking space.

The Guidelines state that it is the responsibility of the EV charger provider (Council or an eligible third party) to “financially commit to the cost of the EV infrastructure, rent (if applicable), maintenance and repairs, capital improvements, essential services, site outgoings and ensuring that the site is operational at all times”. Details of who to contact in the case of a fault or damage will be provided at the charging site to avoid delays to service.

An EV charger or EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment) is the hardware that delivers energy from an electricity source to charge an EV battery. It may be wall-mounted or free-standing and includes one or more cords with connectors that plug into the vehicle.

The electricity grid delivers AC (alternating current) but EVs charge their batteries with DC (direct current). An electric vehicle has an on-board charger to convert AC power to DC.

DC chargers deliver power directly to the battery of EVs at a much higher rate, but have a more complex design and cost more. Most home and destination chargers are AC.

For more information visit the Electric Vehicle Council.

The time it takes to charge your car will depend on the charging levels of the EV charger. There are 3 main types of chargers:

• Level 1: These are single-phase AC chargers typically used in homes and use standard Australian power outlets. The charging rate is around 10 to 20km per hour plugged in.

• Level 2: These are the most common AC chargers used in home and public charging. They allow for a wide range of charging speeds. A 7KW single phase has a charging rate of 40km per hour while a 22KW 3-phase has a charging rate of 120km per hour.

• Level 3: These are super-fast DC chargers. The power levels can range from 25kW to 350kW. They are typically used in commercial premises and roadside locations to provide for faster re-charging. They require a substantial amount of power to run. It can fully recharge some electric vehicles in 10 to 15 minutes.

For more information visit the Electric Vehicle Council.

Note that the Draft Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Guidelines states that preference will be given to EV charging infrastructure to have a minimum power capacity of 22 kW AC (Level 2), however alternative arrangements involving slower charging speeds will be considered depending on the overall benefits indicated under each proposal.

Plugshare is an independent register that provides an up-to-date database of electric vehicle charging stations. Many EV cars also come with technology showing the nearest charging station.

Council will ensure that universal chargers are installed to allow all EV cars.

The Draft Guidelines also requires charging cables to have the capacity to reach all points of the parking space to cater for EV’s that have varying charging point locations.

For EV chargers installed by Council, Council actively seeks state and federal grant funding to reduce the cost of installation.

For EV chargers installed by individual providers, each provider will cover the cost of installation, maintenance, and removal, with no cost to Council.

For EV chargers installed by Council, usage charges will be set by decision of Council in the annual fees and charges, based on the electricity cost projection for the corresponding period and apportionment of costs of asset ownership such as depreciation, operation and maintenance.

For EV chargers installed by individual providers, each provider will determine charging costs with consideration given to market rates to ensure the charging rate is priced competitively and the charger is adequately utilised.

The EV chargers will be accessible to individuals with disabilities as the Plan requires providers to install EV charging infrastructure compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 which includes compliance with current standards for access.

All charging locations on Council land must meet the criteria outlined in the Plan. Have your say by suggesting a location for an EV charging location on the map to the right.

For further information regarding EVs visit the Electric Vehicle Council.

For further information about the EV Charging Infrastructure Plan contact Council’s Environment Team at sustainability@shellharbour.nsw.gov.au.